My new book on Indian art Mona Lisa does not smile anymore owes a lot to Rajasthan in general and Jhalwar in particular. As I travelle...

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Jhalawar--the Renaissance in making

The beautiful pottery and its creatoranother lovely creation of the artist--woven baskets, leaf-carpets and brooms all from Nature and totally envirionment friendly Bhawani Natyasala--it had seen glorious days; hope they will come back

Jhalawar does not evoke much interest either in historians, social scientists, tourists or the rulers. it is a small and peripheral area and was never ruled by larger dynasties of Rajasthan. As a political unit it has a shorter history. But small can also be beautiful. If you want to explore the soul of a place and its people, Jhalawar has plenty to offer. if you do not feel comfortable among milling crowds and tourism industry products, it can be the right place for you. Like the double edged sword it had to bear along with rest of country the British oppressive rule along with the the possibility of not so benevolent local rulers. The life for ordinary peasants and the small artisans was never good. They had to work hard to pay high taxes even if their crops failed. the story of famines was accentuated throughout India by the exploitative policies and taxes Britishers imposed on the hapless peasants. All empires were run by taxing the peasant, trader and the artisans by the rulers and the Colonial blood-suckers --the British.

In this Continent of Circe came a whiz of fresh air in the form of Bhawani Singh--the erstwhile ruler of Jhalawar. He is credited with bringing a Renaissance to the laid back Jhalawar. He opened Schools, College, libraries, hospitals, girls hostel, Bhawani Natyasala --a space for theatre and the first Museum in Rajasthan in 1915. He laid a foundation for the social and cultural Renaissance of this area.

Now we are a free country and a functioning democracy with its warts and beauty spots.

The ordinary people here ask for what their brothers and sisters are asking our elected leaders---development. Irrespective of political affiliations people now have a balance sheet of what the leaders contribute in creating socially essential capital to fight deprivation, poverty and social stagnation.

Jhalawar is undergoing a revolution of developmental expectations. On the last count there is now a medical college, an engineering college, a Forestry and Horticulture College, a brand new hospital and am sure people are not going to shy away from asking a better human development index for the whole area.

The photos above of pottery and woven baskets are of arts older than the recorded history of Jhalawar. So beautiful and it is Indian--from the common man for common man.